Envelop.



E. N. TODD.

ENVELOP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1912.

1984,9796 Patented 1311.20, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

awuwnlioz lZZNTOf COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINUTON, D. c.

E. N. TODD.

ENVBLOP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1912.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

iv l tum COLUMEXA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

LBEB NAN DD, 0J R S IE D, MAR A D- ENVELOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 29,1914.

Application filed July 10, 1912, Serial No. 708,615.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELBERT N. TODD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crisfie-ld, in the county of Somerset and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stationery and has for an object to. provide an envelop of a simple and durable construction and which, when once sealed, cannot be readily unsealed or tampered with, without. destroying or mutilating the envelop.

The invention embodies, among other features, an envelop that is prefer-ably made of a single piece of material consisting of a body having flaps forming a backing therefor, a sealing flap and a locking tongue formed on a bottom flap extended from the body and foldable to engage and lock with the sealing flap and one of the side flaps.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the blank from which the envelop is formed; Fig. 2 is a view showing the manner of folding the side flaps; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rear side of the envelop, showing the same folded and sealed; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 55 in Fig. 3.

Referring to the views, and more particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that use is made of a blank 10, formed of a single piece of material, the said blank being weakened along lines a, b, c and (Z and consisting of a body 11 having side flaps 12, 13, foldable on the weakened lines a, .0, respectively, a sealing flap 14 being formed with the body and extending upwardly therefrom, a short flap 15 being formed with the body and extending downwardly therefrom, the mentioned short flap having formed therewith a locking tongue 16, the mentioned sealing flap 14 being foldable on the weakened line (Z and the flap 15 being foldable on the line I). The flap 13 is provided with a transversely extending slot 17 adapted to receive therethrough an car 18 formed on the flap 12 and the flaps 12, 13 each are provided with longitudinally extending slots 19, 20

provided for a purpose that will be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In folding the blank 10 to form the envelop, the flap 13 is first folded along the weakened line 0 and the flap 12 is then folded on the weakened line a with the ear 18 of the flap 12' passing through the slot 17 of the flap. 13, an adhesive material being preferably placed upon the flap 13 adjacent the slot 17 to secure the flap 12 in folded position thereon. The sealing flap 14 is now folded 0n the weakened line cl to lie on the flap l2 and the mentioned flap 14 is provided with a slot 21 adapted to register with the slot 19 of the flap. 12 when the sealing flap 14 is folded in the manner mentioned, an adhesive being preferably placed along the the edge of the sealing flap 14 and adjacent the slot 21 to secure the sealing flap to the flap. 12. The envelop is now complete and ready to receive the letter. The edge of the flap 15 is provided with an adhesive material and the locking tongue 16 is provided with a series of locking ears 22, 23, 24 and 25, said ears being foldable on weakened lines e, e, e and 6 respectively, the mentioned ears being preferably arranged in sets with the cars 22, 23 formed adjacent the inner end of the tongue 16 and the cars 24, 25 formed at the outer or pointed end of the tongue. Now when the communication or letter has been placed within the envelop in the usual manner, the tongue 16 is passed through the registering slots 21, 19 of the respective flaps 14, 12 and the tongue will then pass through the longitudinally eX- tending slot 20 formed in the flap 13, the ears 24, 25 being adapted to pass through the slot 20 so that the inner ends of the ears will abut against the flap adjacent the slot after the ears have been passed therethrough, thus preventing the tongue 16 from being removed from engagement with the flap 13, the inner ears 22, 23 being adapted to pass through the registering slots 21 and 19 with the inner extremities of the ears abutting against the inner face of the flap 12, thus forming a second means for preventing the removal of the tongue 16 and retaining the tongue in locked position to seal the envelop, the adhesive material placed upon the flap 15 being also provided to retain the envelop in folded position and insure the proper sealing of the envelop.

As mentioned heretofore, the slots 21 and 19 of the respective flaps 14 and 12 are adapted to register When the mentioned flaps are folded in the manner mentioned and the tongue, after passing through the slots 21 and 19 passes through the slot 20 in the flap 13 so that the tongue 16 engages not only the side flaps 12 and 13 but also the upper or sealing flap H.

The envelop described can be easily and quickly cut in one operation to form the blank 10, the flaps thereof being then bent along the weakened lines as mentioned, to form the envelop, the sealing of Which is accomplished by means of the tongue 16 engaging the side flaps and sealing flap of the envelop.

It will be understood that the envelop can be folded and sealed Without the use of an adhesive, although I preferably use the same to insure the proper sealing of the various flaps which, together with the body, form the completed article.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

As a new article of manufacture, an end velop comprising a body having side flaps foldable thereon, one of the said side flaps having a transversely extending slot and both of the said side flaps having similar longitudinal slots, a tongue on the side flap having the single slot therein, With the said tongue adapted to pass through the transversely extending slot of the other side flap When the said side flaps are folded on the body, a sealing flap foldable on the body and provided With a slot adapted to register With the longitudinal slot in the first mentioned side flap, a short flap on the body and foldable on the sealing flap, and a tongue carried by the short fiap to pass through the registering slots of the first mentioned side flap and sealing flap, with the said tongue adapted to project beyond the said registering slots and extend through the longitudinal slot in the second mentioned side flap.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ELBERT NANON TODD. Witnesses:

F. Fosrnn TODD, CHAS. C. Pnorr'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

